Māori business celebrated at InnoNative Market in Whangārei

The InnoNative Market drew in about 800 punters last year. It is on again in Whangārei this weekend. Photo/John Stone

A Whangārei market designed to showcase Māori businesses and products is back for its second year.

The InnoNativeMarket - organised by the InnoNative Business Base, a service of He Puna Marama Trust - brought about 800 people through Reyburn House Lane last year and will return tomorrow.

Auriole Ruka, business development manager for the InnoNative Business Base, said the markets were about empowering indigenous business.

"It's about how we can prosper as a whānau by supporting our whānau to live on their whenua (land) and to sustain themselves on their whenua," she said.

"We've had a lot of students through Te Kāpehu Whetū who have gone and graduated and they're coming back now with these skills and as part of that pipeline of talent we want to keep them here. We want to be able to work with that talent so we have got strong capabilities here in the years to come."

Ruka said about 80 per cent of stallholders were Northland-based. The rest have come from around New Zealand but many have links to the region.

"I think people see the markets as an opportunity to reconnect with whānau and really support what they're doing to be able to live the life and be independent," she said.

Stallholders will be selling a range of products on the day, from kai to fashion. Ruka said stallholders pay a koha to be at the event, that way it is accessible for all businesses.

"We've got businesses that have make your own poi craft kits, we've got new designers that are coming through who have just graduated and are making recyclable fashion, we've got food stalls making gluten-free healthy Māori kai - a lot of those businesses aren't about making money, they are about supporting their communities."

The market, which runs from 10am to 3pm at Reyburn House Lane, comes after the event MOKO - Making our mark on the world, which was an evening of indigenous fashion, art, contemporary dance and music held on Wednesday.

A number of indigenous designers showcased their work at MOKO from Whangārei's Minnie Mayd to renowned Māori designers Natura Aura, Nichola Te Kiri, and Shona Tawhiao.

Models wearing designs by Natura Aura. Photo/Charmaine Soljak

Models walk the catwalk wearing Nichola Te Kiri. Photo/Charmaine Soljak

Te Kapehu Whetu student Natalia Harris wearing a Shona Tawhiao creation. Photo/Charmaine Soljak

Dancers Annalise Wood, Reumah Vanya, Bronwyn Morunga performing the Ko Au choreographed by Jenn Ruka. Photo/Charmaine Soljak